Rolling Retro 2016 – Code Black

With a grey and rainy start, the ocean looking wild and stormy, many were wondering if the event would start, but organisers and locals decided it was time to test the surfers at the Rolling Retro at Llandudno Beach. With this year’s Mexican theme the patch at the Lifesaving Club was bright and cheerful as apposed to the vibe in the water where close out sets and double overhead conditions were quickly making the event be referred to as Rolling Retro, Code Black.

Photo: Ian Thurtell
Photo: Ian Thurtell

The Bodysurfers were first in the lineup and most competitors were quickly getting busy charging the large conditions with no fear. This threw the challenge out to the surfers who quickly followed suit. As the day progressed the sun started fighting through the clouds and the performances in the water kept the growing crowd very entertained. Though there were many broken boards amongst the free surfers, somehow not one Retro Surfboard was lost – a true tribute to the workmanship of these collectors pieces.

Some of the standouts on the day were led by young Muizenberg surfer, Pieter De Wit, who not only took out the Bodysurfing division but also got one of the best tubes of the day. Representing the Llandudno locals was super grom, Luke Slijpen, who showed some of the old boys what style on a retro board should look like and was the clear choice for the best grom award. Following in his son’s footsteps was local, John Slijpen, who charged the big conditions, but also got a massive lip to the head, winning the best wipeout category. Tanika Hoffman was one of the few ladies to brave the wild conditions and she was rewarded for her charging by taking the Best lady award.

Photo: Ian Thurtell
Photo: Ian Thurtell

In the last 2 heats, two of South Africa’s best Longboard surfers took to the water, much to everyone on the beach’s delight. Mathew Moir is a two time World Champion and he showed us why, by charging on a 9’2 Longboard on the huge waves. On one wave he somehow recovered from being completely on his back, to the cheers of the crowd. He was followed by Scarbarough’s, Mike Grendon, who went out on an ancient, 20kg, John “Oom” Whitmore Longboard. The Oom must have been smiling down from the heavens as Mike proceeded to charge massive close outs, soul arch down the line and pretty much blow everyone’s minds with his carefree approach to the dangerous conditions. Mathew and Mike shared the hard chargers award.

Amongst the surfers there were a couple of stand outs, with Llandudno brothers Jasper and Logan Eales getting some bombs. Robby Schofield made the trek from the West Coast and got a few pits and did some huge turns to win the best turn of the event. Benjamin Potter and Luke Christie Smith, both sporting ginormous beards, also entertained the crowds both in and out the water. It was Andrew “Roosta” Lange though who had the beach cheering every time he took off on a wave. Taking off on one big set wave, the conditions suddenly went perfect offshore, the light golden as Roosta bottom turned, stood straight up and soul arched through the biggest tube of the day on an old Gerry Lopez Lightning Bolt Surfboard. It was a moment that the entire beach went silent, followed by an eruption of sound as he got spit out the tube. With some stellar turns and floaters added to the mix, he was the unanimous choice for Surfer of the Event.

Photo: Ian Thurtell
Photo: Ian Thurtell

Throughout the day the Corona bar was pumping and as the day wore on the El Jimador girls served frozen margaritas and tequila shots, to the sounds of Roastin Records, ensuring that the party was heaving by the time the prize giving was done. All food and bar sales went to raising funds for Llandudno Surf to attend SA Champs and their were smiles all round on the their happy faces. The evening ended with the crowd enjoying the acoustic sounds of the Larter Brothers followed by some retro inspired beats by Dj Ike. All in all another insanely fun day was had by all and the Rolling Retro continues to be referred to as the best day of the year!

Photo: Captain Kai
Photo: Captain Kai

Big thanks go out to the hard working team behind the scenes, event MC Ilan Sheer, the whole Vudu Surf family and our incredible sponsors El Jimador, Corona, Red Bull, Hurricane Surf, Von Zipper and Gul Wetsuits. The event video will be released in the next few days.

Photo: Ian Thurtell
Photo: Ian Thurtell
Photo: Captain Kai
Photo: Captain Kai

RVCA Rolling Retro 2015 Video with Vans

I always appreciate a great video of the RVCA Rolling Retro day, as most times I am so busy on the day behind the scenes, on the mic and sneaking in my heat, that I miss a bunch of highlights. I am sure Robby, from Vudu Surf, feels the same way. It’s tough sometimes running the event. So when a video drops on my timeline like this, I get real stoked! The crew from We-are-Awesome, with Vans, captured our day perfectly. So sit back and watch a magical event on film and maybe like me you will get goosebumps thinking back on the best day of the year…

Vans x RVCA Rolling Retro 2015 from we-are-awesome on Vimeo.

RVCA Rolling Retro Postponed to 01 March 2015

Llandudno, Cape Town – The 2015 instalment of the RVCA Rolling Retro surf event has been postponed by one week, to 1 March 2015, with the forecast conditions for this Sunday 22 February looking far from ideal.

There is a very real worry that the surfboard collection will be damaged, and that large surf at Llandudno could result in irreplaceable surfboards possibly being broken. So it is in respect to this heritage collection of surfboards that the event will be postponed by one week.

There is also the family element to consider. “The swell is expected to be big this Sunday, and puts us in a place where it might not be ideal for the kids, ladies and casual surfers,” said contest director Kai Linder. “We have decided to postpone till next Sunday, 01 March 2015.”

So, another week of anticipation. The retro surfboards, supplied by Robby from Vudu Surf www.facebook.com/VuduSurf are ready, and the handslides, made by Wawa Wooden Surfboards www.facebook.com/pages/Wawa-Wooden-Surfboards/131058550324846 are also ready and available for the bodysurfers.

On Sunday 01 March the day’s festivities will be based around the Llandudno Surf Lifesaving Club, and the event helps raise funds for the club. Check out the Facebook Event Page for more details – www.facebook.com/events/772227866197463/

Robby from Vudu has about 50 vintage boards from his personal collection on hand for the event. From original Whitmore longboards and a 7’6 Whitmore Spoon, to Safaris, Larmonts, a Gerry Lopez Pipeline single fin, and a bunch of other classic boards for the surfers to choose from. It’s a fun event, and surfers are going to win by combining old school style and retro moves, with positioning and style.

The RVCA Rolling Retro 2015 will also, for the first time, feature a Bodysurfing division. There are slots for 40 bodysurfers in this division, with ten wooden Wawa handslides available for contestants to use in the competition. Bodysurfing is the art of riding a wave without the assistance of any buoyant device such as a surfboard or a bodyboard. All that a bodysurfer needs is a set of fins, with a handslide providing increased speed and less drag. The bodysurfing event will award three El Jimador agave handslides valued at R1,800 each for the three bodysurfers with the most stylish manoeuvres.

It is probably going to be a warm day at the beach, and the RVCA Rolling Retro is going to be one busy event. Parking is going to be scarce, and it is recommended that people utilise Uber www.uber.com/cities/cape-town or Myciti Bus services next Sunday to get down to the beach. Uber have taken it to the next level, offering R200 off to anyone going down to the event. Check promo code below:

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Bring sunscreen, and bring some money, as it’s going to get hot down there, and drinks and food will be available.

If you want to see what it’s all about, check out the event teaser video clip here –

RVCA ROLLING RETRO TEASER 2015 from RVCA South Africa on Vimeo.

There is also a great music lineup for the event, with RVCA partnering with Vans to present ‘Good Vibrations’ with a number of great local bands in the mix. The bands include Bilderberg Motel, The Dyna Jets, The Larter Brothers and Roastin’ Records.

The event hashtag is #rvcarollingretro

For more details check out the RVCA Rolling Retro Facebook event page www.facebook.com/events/772227866197463/ ??

To follow the event go to the RVCA South Africa Facebook page www.facebook.com/RVCA.South.Africa???

For all things RVCA contact:

Melissa Williams

e. melissa@rvcasouthafrica.co.za

t. 072 488 4279

For all things Rolling Retro contact:

Kai Linder

e. kaisurf@yahoo.com

t. 074 154 2618

For all things media contact:

Craig Jarvis

e. info@craigjarvis.co.za

t. 082 376 4443